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Corey Parker: Why the NRL should emulate the NFL with a Grand Final bye
Charles Goodsir • February 10th, 2025 1:21 pm
SEN’s Corey Parker has called on the NRL to emulate the Super Bowl and introduce a bye week in between the preliminary finals and NRL Grand Final.
Following the conference championship games, the NFL have an additional week off prior to the Super Bowl to ensure the teams competing have the best chance to be at full strength and to give the media ample opportunity to interview the organisations.
Parker believes the introduction of a mandatory concussion stand down and the lack of celebration following a preliminary final win should convince the NRL to make the change.
“The NRL can certainly learn a few lessons,” Parker said on SENQ Breakfast.
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“You finish the Preliminary final and you celebrate that moment but it’s very brief. All of your attention immediately shifts towards the preparation for a Grand Final.
“Americans also do it so well. You can see the hype and build up to the big game.
“I think we could have a two week gap in between the prelim and Grand Final.
“If a player gets an HIA, it could rule them out of a Grand Final under the current model right now.
“The Indigenous and Maori All-Stars game could play in that lead into the Grand Final.
“You could play the Women’s Grand Final during that lone week and give them their standalone Grand Final as opposed to right before the men.
“With two weeks off, it gives players a great chance to refresh, there will be a greater build up and everyone from the media can get around it.
“We seem to cram everything in that one week. Instead, we could elongate. A lot of factors could come into play with two weeks off.
“Let’s give ourselves the best opportunity to have the best players on the field.
“The Super Bowl is enormous. It’s carnival-like.”
